Why should I have a golf lesson if I am playing well?

Ben Emerson, a PGA Professional based at Sand Martins Golf Club in Berkshire, explains the benefits of understanding what best makes your swing tick.

Most people come for a golf lesson when things are going badly or they have a big competition or society day coming up. Of course we need to look at and work on our faults but, actually, when you are playing well we want to know why you’re playing well too. Success leaves behind a trail and half of the job is to find the trail and stay on track as it’s so easy to come off it.

Most golfers go to the range before a round looking for a bit of hope and a bit of a swing thought that they can take to the course to have an enjoyable day. When we find something that works then we want to know why that is and that’s a good time to get some date analysed. So whether you have a look on TrackMan or get on the cameras or have a look on a 3d system or on some pressure plates we need to get some solid feedback on what and why you’re doing so well.

See the positives

A lesson doesn’t have to be for change, it can be a lesson to see yourself at your best and let’s capture it and make some notes and keep a video journal which is vital for most people and watch it later on. And then when you need that bit of motivation you can easily get it.

Regardless of how you've played I will always keep a 3-5 good shot diary and I’ve done this my whole life. Even if I’ve had a shocker I’d like to think that there are three shots in there that I can take away something away from it positively. If you can go back after a bad round and look through all these good shots it helps the memory and confidence to come back - and it helps you to tell yourself that you can do this as you've have done it in the past.

We can be a negative species and too often think of the worst thing that has happened or can happen. We hear it all the time in the clubhouse - 'I had 36 points but I blobbed the last' - we like to explain how it could have been better and what could have happened. It is possible to simply enjoy a good day rather than point out the bad bits.

If you were to throw a stick at a dog they wouldn’t say you know what, I’ve dropped that before, I’m not going to have another go at it. In golf we stand on the 1st and think what we’ve done badly on this shot previously. We don't want to lie to ourselves that we're better than we are but at least let's not think all the negative stuff all the time, find what you’re good at and get good at that.

If you have an exam and you’re good at 70 per cent of that, then don’t try overly hard on the 30 per cent, nail the 70 per cent part and then anything else is a bonus. We spend so long at looking at our faults and neglect the good stuff.

Maintain good habits

We have all gone through periods of playing well and then we slip out of good habits as we get bored and a part of us thinks ‘we’ve done that and we don’t need to do that any more’. Unfortunately golf doesn’t work like and unless it becomes a habit the brain is good at going to a safe and familiar place and when there’s any form of pressure the brain will go there.

An element of a new drill is breaking down that barrier and building up a new pattern. I will film parts of the lesson on their phone and talk through it so there is always an opportunity to watch it. Human nature will mean that we want to look good in front of people, either on the range or on the course, but we don’t get any better if we're always trying to please people. Sometimes we have to crack those eggs and change that movement pattern and then, after a while, it will become the norm.

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Ben’s modern approach to golf coaching has seen him become one of the most sought-after coaches in the country. Over the last 20 years his clientele has included elite amateurs, professionals and celebrities, including Robbie Williams. He is based at Sand Martins Golf Club in Berkshire.